They usually live in electrical appliances, sometimes in those of [[Old Chateau|abandoned places]]. In {{3v2|Diamond|Pearl|Platinum}}, a Rotom resides inside a [[television]], where the {{player}} is able to catch it after obtaining the National Pokédex in Diamond and Pearl.

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They usually live in electrical appliances, sometimes in those of [[Old Chateau|abandoned places]]. In {{3v2|Diamond|Pearl|Platinum}}, a Rotom resides inside a [[television]], where the {{player}} is able to catch it after obtaining the National Pokédex in Diamond and Pearl, but you can catch it before you get the Nationaldex in Platinum.

Biology

Physiology

Rotom's basic body looks similar to Castform, but Rotom has no real relation to any other species, since it doesn't have any evolutions or pre-evolutions. Rotom has a body of plasma. It also has teeth, which are often seen. Rotom also have unique eyes that have a dividing line across them. Even though Rotom is classified as being an Electric/Ghost type, it possesses traits that aren't usually normal for something that's supposed to be spirit, such as the need to eat, being able to faint and somehow reproducing. Rotom themselves are shaped like lightning rods, while the blue aura of electricity around them takes the appearance of lightning.

In Pokémon Platinum, Rotom also has five extra forms (each based on a household appliance), which can be transformed between using an event-exclusive item called the Secret Key. They are based on a refrigerator (Frost Rotom), washing machine (Wash Rotom), fan (Fan Rotom), lawn mower (Mow Rotom), and a microwave oven (Heat Rotom). Despite having visual characteristics of other types (Ice, Water, Flying, Grass and Fire, respectively), they share the original Rotom's Electric and Ghost types. Rotom's eyes and aura of electricity will change colors when it changes form. In contrast, their base stats are far higher than those of the original Rotom, to the point of being analogous to evolutions.

Gender differences

Rotom is a genderless species.

Special abilities

Rotom can creep into machines and appliances and infiltrate them. It may also possess and take the form of them if it wishes. However, only 5 alternate forms have been discovered so far.

Behavior

Rotom are mischievous, apparently wreaking havoc on electrical appliances just for the fun of it.

Habitat

They usually live in electrical appliances, sometimes in those of abandoned places. In Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, a Rotom resides inside a television, where the player is able to catch it after obtaining the National Pokédex in Diamond and Pearl, but you can catch it before you get the Nationaldex in Platinum.

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Trivia

When Rotom is encountered, the music is the same as legendary encounters although it is not classified as one. Rotom is, to date, the only non-legendary Pokémon to do this. Cresselia and Shaymin do the opposite, being the only legendaries encountered in Generation IV for which the normal wild battle music plays.

Interestingly, an official Pokémon handbook for Diamond and Pearl states that it's a legendary.

Rotom is one of three Ghost-types whose color isn't in the black or purple category. The others are Shedinja (brown) and Froslass (white).

Rotom is one of the two Electric-types who are immune to Template:Type2 moves, the other being Zapdos.

With the exception of Unown, Rotom has the most forms of any non-legendary Pokémon, with six in total. Behind it is Castform, who has four.

According to a journal in a secret room in the Eterna Galactic HQ, Charon discovered and named Rotom.

Rotom is one of only two Ghost-types that cannot learn Psychic, the other being Shedinja.

When Rotom transforms, it learns a new move in the same way that other Pokémon may learn new moves upon evolving. The move is replaced by another if Rotom possesses another object, and is deleted when Rotom transforms back to its normal form. If the only move that Rotom knows right before reverting to its original form is exclusive to its alternate form, then that move will be replaced with ThunderShock.

Rotom is the only Pokémon with the ability to change its form by will that must possess another object in order to do so. Castform, Deoxys, Giratina and Shaymin actually transform their bodies. However, Burmy is similar to Rotom in that it merely changes its surrounding cover. Like Deoxys, you can have the six forms at one time.

Rotom is the only Pokémon whose alternate forms have a different base stat total than that of the original form. Other Pokémon with alternate forms may have different distributions, however.

Origin

Rotom appears to be based on Pulseman, who was actually designed by Pokémon designer Ken Sugimori, although it may also be inspired by the unexplained phenomenon of ball lightning. Its Pokédex entry brings to mind gremlins. Its possession of other objects may be based on poltergeists.

Name origin

In Pokémon Platinum, it is revealed that Charon named the first Rotom. It appeared out of his toy robot, and Charon named it Rotom due to its origin. Rotom is the word motor backwards; this may refer to the fact that motors make many appliances function, while Rotom makes them fail.